Levels of Intimacy

As you grow closer to Jesus Christ, you get to know Him better. He will make fascinating efforts so you become more, and more, intimate. Simply put, He reveals Himself and His deeper parts. It's like a rather long wedding night.

He doesn't just do this with everyone. Clearly there is a difference in how He relates. Like any relationship, some are just people, some are acquaintances, some are friends, and few are family.

Think this is wrong? Look at all the folks mentioned throughout scripture. From King Saul to David. From Judas to Peter, there has always been a wide range of relationships with The God of all reality.

Since we are the bride, and He is the groom, this relationship happens by His choosing.

Yes, it's all over the book.

Everything Jesus did and said is centered around one pure focus...faith in God The Father.

Jesus, Himself, IS God, but in time and space. As written in Hebrews chapter 1, He is the exact representation, an avatar if you will. One so perfect, He opens a means of relating to a being so beyond us that relationship would be impossible. Yes, He did all that so we could be close...intimate.

He counts the hairs on your head...

Ah, but where are you in this relationship scheme?

"What do you mean? He loves everybody the same!"

No, that is just not biblical. Have you never read how He relates differently to pretty much everyone in scripture? Romans chapter 9 outlines it brutally clear. Are you avoiding it, because you want Him to be some happy go lucky, super friendly mush pie?

Have you not considered this world and how it is set up? Do you really believe that He made a perfect world, and then while His back was turned Satan came in and messed it up?

Is your god so weak?

God, The Father is not, I assure you!

No, this world is running perfectly as it was made to, pain, suffering, joys, and happiness all together.

He does not make mistakes. If He did, He would not be trustworthy.

So, where are you? Are you growing in intimacy or are you stagnant in this relationship?

The various levels are clearly there. Look at the parables. They all focus on our "closeness" to God through our trust in Him.

Yes, they do.

The parable of the Sowing of The Seeds is about the faith we are given through His word, which is Jesus.

The first level is explained plainly. It is those who reject Him outright. The second is someone who gets all excited at the introduction, but when faced with those who reject Him, they back away to "fit in".

The third are those who come to Christ, but are prevented from really growing close to Him because they just can't let go of their struggle to control. Life has them focused on their efforts, so they never really trust Him fully.

Faith is in Him. He is The Father. He controls ALL. He is trustworthy.

Of course, the final relationship is the full on married folks. Those who trust Him, and are growing more and more intimate. It becomes obvious, as it is written. They bear fruit.

Galations 5:22-25

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

[23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

[24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

[25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

There is no Law, because faith has fulfilled it. This is full salvation, full relationship. This is The Bride of Christ.

"What about those who are struggling to trust. Those who are in the weeds and briars?"

Look at the parable of the Talents. The faith given the first two, they both doubled it.

Yes, the talents represent faith, not abilities. This is pointed out by the reference to the talent being given to "the bankers". What ability does God give anyone, that you can "loan" to another who makes it grow?

There is none.

The talent represents the measure of faith given by God The Father. First, those given five and two, they double it. The guy given one, he buries it. Like the seed thrown on rocky, or thorny ground. The effort to grow that relationship just isn't there.

Mark 4:23-25

[23] If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

[24] "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more.

[25] Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."

Jesus said to the guy who buried his faith, "Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest."

We can "loan" the measure of faith God gives us by simply attending a church service. We "trust" some man, a banker, to work with our faith to make it grow...just a wee bit of interest.

As Jesus said, this is the least one can do...the LEAST.

Acceptable that might be, but...

What if the banker sucks at his job? What if instead of increasing the small measure of faith in God you have, he instead builds up your trust in yourself, or worse, in him?

Not good!

Still not convinced?

Consider those who followed Jesus during His earthly ministry.

There were multitudes that listened to Him, ate the food He multiplied, and marveled at His miracles. Do you realize, it was the multitudes who shouted "crucify him!" when they faced a tough question about Him really being who He said He was, while the impressive wanted Him dead?

Similarly, there were those who He sent out to actually do miracles, 72 of them. Then there were the 12, who were much closer to Him. Finally, He had three who were the closest.

These three, we can see, Jesus revealed much more of Himself to. Yes, these three watched Him transfigure, covered in the Glory of God.

Levels of Intimacy.

Our walk of faith and trust in God is everything. Faith alone is how we gain acceptance. Faith alone is how we can overcome obstacles. Faith alone is how we will live forever.

Faith is what God wants.

Puzzling as it is, God is the one who controls all. Yet, this area, this level of intimacy is on us. On one hand, there is no free will, on the other our interest, our act of seeking, our pursuit of our suitor, will determine the final outcome.

This is our perspective, so it is our choice. From His perspective, it was written long before we were ever born.

So, choose your level, you who are chosen!

Or not.

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